Saucer with cup-retaining recess

ABSTRACT

A saucer for a cup, or the like, having a large, central, relatively deep recess with downwardly converging conical sidewalls shaped to fit the lower portion of a cup, or the like, adapted to snugly set in the recess. The bottom wall of the recess has a raised portion to maintain the bottom of the cup spaced from the bottom wall of the recess, and in one form of the invention a suction cup or the like may be connected beneath this raised portion to hold the saucer stationary on a surface. A wide shallow through extends outwardly from the top of the sidewalls of the recess, and in surrounding relation to the recess and terminates in a downturned rim in the form of a conically diverging wall. The lower edge of the outer wall is provided with three short evenly spaced foot members. This outer wall is interrupted at a point along the circumference by a generally horizontally disposed handle portion arranged in substantially the same plane as the concentric trough.

United States Patent [72] inventor Martin Barth Wellerstadter Weg 29, 8523 Baiersdorf/Middle Franconia, Germany [21] Appl. No. 42,807 [22] Filed June 2, 1970 [45] Patented Jan. 4, 1972 [32] Priority June 6, 1969 [33] Germany [31] G69 22 704.9

[54] SAUCER WITH CUP-RETAINING RECESS 996,371 8/1951 France.... 1,087,918 9/1954 France ABSTRACT: A saucer for a cup, or the like, having a large, central, relatively deep recess with downwardly converging conical sidewalls shaped to fit the lower portion of a cup, or the like, adapted to snugly set in the recess. The bottom wall of the recess has a raised portion to maintain the bottom of the cup spaced from the bottom wall of the recess, and in one form of the invention a suction cup or the like may be connected beneath this raised portion to hold the saucer stationary on a surface. A wide shallow through extends outwardly from the top of the sidewalls of the recess, and in surrounding relation to the recess and terminates in a downturned rim in the form of a conically diverging wall. The lower edge of the outer wall is provided with three short evenly spaced foot members. This outer wall is interrupted at a point along the circumference by a generally horizontally disposed handle portion arranged in substantially the same plane as the concentric trough.

PATENTED JAN 4 I872 Awawrop fiarf/h EARTH 6/5 47' rapms-y SAUCER WITH CUP-RETAINING RECESS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION With the usual configuration of saucers presently in use, it is very easy to upset a cup of liquid supported on the saucer, and/or spill liquid from the cup, by tilting or jarring the saucer. Such accidents commonly occur, particularly in busy restaurants and on moving transportation such as ships, trains and planes. The saucer of the present invention is constructed to prevent the spilling of the liquid from the cup supported on the saucer and to provide additional space on the saucer which can conveniently and safely receive and support tableware, such as a spoon or other material.

Also, in the usual configuration of a saucer, once liquid has been spilled in the saucer it drips from the bottom of the cup onto the table or clothes of the user, each time the cup is raised from the saucer. It is, therefore, also an object of the present invention to overcome this problem and to prevent such dripping of liquid if liquid should become spilled in the saucer of the subject invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The saucer of this invention is characterized by a centrally located large recessed or indented portion that is relatively deep and which conically flares toward the top and is adapted or formed to the external configuration or shape of the lower part of a cup, or the like, adapted to be supported in the recess; and annular, wide trough of a lesser depth is arranged concentrically around the top of this recess and terminates in an outer downturned conical rim with downwardly diverging sidewalls; as well as a flattened portion fashioned as a handle and disposed at a circumferential point where the rim is interrupted.

In order to prevent wobbling of the saucer on uneven table surfaces, it is advisable to provide the lower edge of the outer rim of the saucer with three, downwardly projecting, short feet which, in the usual manner, are spaced equal distances from one another The bottom wall of the large central recess is provided with a raised portion or portions which, for maintaining a secure seat of the cup in the saucer of this invention, do not extend up to the underside of the cup, and this prevents any inadvertently spilled liquid collected in the large central recess from coming into contact with the bottom portion of the cup, during drinking, onto the tablecloth or onto the clothes of the person using the cup and saucer.

In place of several individual elevated portions, such as, for example, ribs, (not shown in the drawing) a single disc-shaped elevated portion may be provided and it is possible to provide on the underside of the disc-shaped elevated portion a concealed means, such as a suction cup mounted in the bottom recess thus formed, for temporarily connecting the saucer with the top of a table.

Furthermore, the saucer of this invention makes it possible to also retain other tableware, such as, for example, an eggcup or a container for jam or honey in lieu of a cup, so that the shallow surrounding trough of the saucer can serve, for instance, as a depository for eggshells or for receiving a small amount of salt and pepper, for holding a spoon, or merely for catching any droppings during the removal of honey or jam, which fall from the spoon, and thus prevent soiling of the table covering.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The drawing shows an example of the saucer according to the invention, to wit:

FIG. I illustrates the saucer of the invention in a vertical cross-sectional view, taken substantially along line II of FIG. 2, with a cup fitted into the large central recess, which cup can also be replaced by an eggcup or a container for jam, honey, and similar substances, as indicated in dotted lines; and

FIG. 2 shows a saucer according to the invention in top plan view.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The unitary saucer of this invention is provided with a large central, relatively deep recess 1, having a bottom wall 16 and a sidewall or rim 2 which flares conically upwardly therefrom and is shaped to the external configuration of the lower part of a cup 3, eggcup 4, container 5 for the reception of honey or jam, or the like. The containers 3 through 5, therefore, are retained in the recess 1 by the sloping sidewall 2 in a readily removable manner, but yet without any play, in a manner similar to the way a ground-glass stopper is retained in a glass flask.

With the cup held in the saucer recess in this manner any knocking of the cup 3 with a lateral force, that would normally overturn a cup supported in the usual manner, will not cause the cup to tilt or overturn because now the saucer is effectively a part of the cup and the external force is transferred to the saucer of this invention which is carried along by the force so the cup and saucer combination can tilt only about the farthest removed external rim 7 of the saucer. However, between the outer rim 7 of the saucer of this invention and the rim 2, there is furthermore a wide and annular trough 6 of a shallow depth, which trough extends concentrically about the recess 1 in a plane substantially in alignment with the top extremity of rim 2. The trough 6 then terminates in an outer downturned rim 7, which latter constitutes a wall portion that flares conically downwardly and has three short substantially evenly spaced feet 8-10 along its lower terminal edge. The feet 8, 9 and 10 extend slightly below the level of the recess bottom wall 16. In the preferred form the inner radius of the recess bottom wall 16 is slightly greater than the overall vertical dimension or height of the saucer. The rim 7 is interrupted at a point II about its circumference and provides at that place an approximately horizontally extending, channelled handle 12 which can be employed, in an emergency, for pouring out any liquid inadvertently spilled into the wide trough 6. The top portions of rims 2 and 7, and handle 12, preferably lie in the same horizontal plane.

In the center of the recess 1, a disc-shaped elevated or upstruck portion is provided extending upwardly from bottom wall 16. The upper side 13 of the elevated portion does not come into contact with the underside 14 of the cup 3, i.e. which ensures the secure and firm retention of the cup by the rim 2 of the recess 1. The diameter of surface 13 of the elevated portion is substantially less than the inside diameter of bottom wall 16 and the annular space remaining between the disc-shaped elevation and the conical rim 2 of the recess 1, due to this difference in diameter, is made large enough to receive liquid spilled from the cup 3, without wetting the underside of the cup. However, even if there should be liquid present on the underside of the cup, for some reason or other, it is readily possible when lifting the cup 3, to wipe the lower edge thereof along the elevation 13 in the center of the recess 1 or also along the upper end of the conical rim 2, adjacent trough 6, in order to prevent dripping of liquid from the lower edge of the cup during drinking.

A recess is provided for the accommodation of a suction cup 15 on the underside of the central elevational portion in the recess 1, which suction cup extensively prevents spilling of the liquid, by removably connecting the saucer to a surface, especially during use by children, but also during use on airplanes, trains, boats, ships, and all forms of moving vehicles. The up-struck elevated portion forms a recess on the bottom of wall 16 and the suction cup 15 is connected to the bottom of wall 16, substantially concealed in the recess, by a pin element as shown integrally formed with the wall portion. As mentioned earlier in the specification, a plurality of elevated ribs (not shown), extending upwardly from bottom wall 16, can be used instead of the single large elevated portion 13 to perform the same function of preventing spilled liquid from dripping from the bottom of the cup, but with such construction no recess is provided for housing a suction cup such as shown at 15.

Furthermore, if an eggcup or a container for receiving jam or honey is provided with such a shape that the lower external part thereof contacts flush with the rim 2 of the recess 1, a saucer according to the invention affords the additional opportunity to deposit eggshell fragments or small amounts of salt and pepper in the wide trough 6, or to catch drippings from the spoon when taking honey or jam, and thus to extensively exclude the possibility of soiling the table covering.

The saucer of the invention is preferably of unitary molded construction, formed of plastics material. However, it may be constructed of other materials.

The terms and expressions which have been employed herein are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention, in the use of such terms and expressions, of excluding equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof but it is recognized that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention claimed.

1 claim:

1. A saucer adapted to support a cup, or the like, comprising a large central recessed cup portion having a bottom wall and an upwardly flaring substantially conical sidewall formed to the external configuration of the lower part of a cup intended to be received in said recessed cup portion and engaged by said sidewall, said sidewall having a top edge, a wide annular trough having an outer circumferential edge and having a depth that is shallow in comparison to the depth of said large central recessed cup portion, a downwardly diverging conical rim connected to said outer circumferential edge terminating in a bottom edge portion, said conical rim being interrupted at a point about said circumferential edge and a handle connected to said circumferential edge at said point.

2. A saucer as set forth in claim 1 including three downwardly projecting short feet members symmetrically connected to said bottom edge portion for supporting said saucer.

3. A saucer as set forth in claim 1 including means projecting upwardly from said bottom wall interior of said recessed cup portion and terminating in upper surface means at a predetermined distance above said bottom wall which is adapted to also lie slightly below the underside of the cups intended to be engaged in said central recessed cup portion.

4. A saucer as set forth in claim 3 in which said upwardly projecting means comprises a single, central, disc-shaped elevated portion having an upper surface smaller in diameter than said bottom wall.

5. A saucer as set forth in claim 4 including a recess in the underside of said bottom wall in the area of said central, discshaped elevated portion, and temporary connection means, for temporarily detachably connecting the saucer to a table or other surface, connected in and extending from said recess a distance below said bottom wall.

6. A saucer as set forth in claim 5 in which said temporary connection means comprises a downwardly opening suction cup.

7. A saucer as set forth in claim 1 in which said top edge of said sidewall, said outer circumferential edge and said handle are disposed in the same horizontal plane. 

1. A saucer adapted to support a cup, or the like, comprising a large central recessed cup portion having a bottom wall and an upwardly flaring substantially conical sidewall formed to the external configuration of the lower part of a cup intended to be received in said recessed cup portion and engaged by said sidewall, said sidewall having a top edge, a wide annular trough concentrically connected to and extending sutantially horizontally outwardly from the top edge of said sidewall, said annular trough having an outer circumferential edge and having a depth that is shallow in comparison to the depth of said large central recessed cup portion, a downwardly diverging conical rim connected to said outer circumferential edge terminating in a bottom edge portion, said conical rim being interrupted at a point about said circumferential edge and a handle connected to said circumferential edge at said point.
 2. A saucer as set forth in claim 1 including three downwardly projecting short feet members symmetrically connected to said bottom edge portion for supporting said saucer.
 3. A saucer as set forth in claim 1 including means projecting upwardly from said bottom wall interior of said recessed cup portion and terminating in upper surface means at a predetermined distance above said bottom wall which is adapted to also lie slightly below the underside of tHe cup intended to be engaged in said central recessed cup portion.
 4. A saucer as set forth in claim 3 in which said upwardly projecting means comprises a single, central, disc-shaped elevated portion having an upper surface smaller in diameter than said bottom wall.
 5. A saucer as set forth in claim 4 including a recess in the underside of said bottom wall in the area of said central, disc-shaped elevated portion, and temporary connection means, for temporarily detachably connecting the saucer to a table or other surface, connected in and extending from said recess a distance below said bottom wall.
 6. A saucer as set forth in claim 5 in which said temporary connection means comprises a downwardly opening suction cup.
 7. A saucer as set forth in claim 1 in which said top edge of said sidewall, said outer circumferential edge and said handle are disposed in the same horizontal plane. 